title: Water attack umpolung aromatic systems to release hydrogen.
abstract: The synthesis and structures of a series of cyclometalated iridium(III) complexes based on benzoxazole derivatives and triphenylphospine are reported. These complexes have a general formula (C^N)(2)Ir(Cl)(pph(3)) [where C^N is a monoanionic cyclometalating ligand, dfpbo = (difluorophenyl)benzoxazolato, pbo = 2-phenylbenzoxazolato, nbo = 2-(2-naphthyl)benzoxazolato, and pph(3) is a triphenylphospine ligand]. The complexes (dfpbo)(2)Ir(Cl)(pph(3)) (2a), (pbo)(2)Ir(Cl)(pph(3)) (2b), and (nbo)(2)Ir (Cl)(pph(3)) (2c) have been structurally characterized by X-ray crystallography. Complex 2a shows facile umpolung in the phenyl rings of the arylphosphine ligand and displays a catalytic propensity for water splitting.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Biology, National Pingtung University of Education, Pingtung, Taiwan 90003, Republic of China. trchen@mail.npue.edu.tw
authors.forename: Tsun-Ren
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Hsiu-Pen
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Jhy-Der
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D001583:Benzoxazoles / Q000737:chemistry*; D018360:Crystallography, X-Ray; D006859:Hydrogen / Q000737:chemistry*; D007495:Iridium / Q000737:chemistry*; D008958:Models, Molecular; D015394:Molecular Structure; D009942:Organometallic Compounds / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry*; D010720:Phosphines / Q000737:chemistry*; D011789:Quantum Theory; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D001583:Benzoxazoles; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D010720:Phosphines; D014867:Water; D007495:Iridium; D006859:Hydrogen